ICC Test Championship | India take an almost inimitable lead of 180 in 2019 after home series against SA
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India have secured a lead of 180 runs, what seems unassailable at the moment, in the inaugural edition of the ICC Test Championship. Australia, with four Tests remaining in 2019, might be the only contenders for the top spot if they win all games and India lose their remaining two.
After steamrolling South Africa once again in the third and final Test match at Ranchi, India earned 40 points more to their previous 200. With this India (240 pts) are at the top of the ICC Test Championship points table and are ahead of the second team New Zealand, who currently sport 60 points, by a margin of a gigantic 180.Â
With a total of four matches to go for Australia, two against Pakistan and a couple others against New Zealand, and the calculations leave 200 points for Australia to earn by the end of December, if they win all the four fixtures. That will, of course, take Australia to 256 points and if and only if India lose both their fixtures against Bangladesh, then the Aussies will top the table by the end of the year. But that’s only stating numbers blindly, as we know the final outcome would be India holding the top position for a long time.
Meanwhile, New Zealand, Sri Lanka and England are not scheduled to play enough Tests in this year to trump team India. Note that the two-match Test series between New Zealand and England, starting next month, will not be a part of the Test Championship.
Lastly, South Africa, after being whitewashed by India 3-0, are yet to open their account in the Test Championship and will they will have a chance to do it only in December when they take on England in a four-Test series at home.
